Typically electrical connectors have retention means within the housing in order to secure contacts therein. A primary method of retaining the electrical terminal within the housing is to have a stamped out lance from the electrical terminal metal body which abuts a shoulder within the housing. A typical secondary retention method is profiled as a plastic moveable member which can move into place over the contact to lock the contact in place. Some of these moveable members are moved transversely over the actual direction, while some are designed as hinged flaps which are rotated into place. These flaps include plastic tabs which, when rotated, reside in a groove or gap within the contact to retain the contact in place. The hinged flaps are typically integrally molded with the connector housing and have live hinges about which the flap rotates. The live hinge is a thin plastic member connecting the flap and the connector housing. The live hinge can become broken or worn out over time thereby making the flap useless as a retention device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,806 shows an electrical connector having a secondary lock member which is attached to the connector body by a live hinge. The secondary lock rotates about the live hinge into the proper position whereby tabs secure the contacts in place within the connector housing.
It would be an advantage to provide a locking feature which is secured to the housing but does not contain a live hinge that can break or wear over time. It would be a further advantage to provide the locking feature to fully secure the contacts within the connector housing so that the contacts can be formed without lances. That is where the locking feature provides all the necessary retaining feature to keep the contact secured within the connector housing.